Public Health Law and Governance
Full course description
This module continues the students’ exploration of the field of Public Health Law and Governance in the European Union and its Member States. The module understands Public Health Law and Governance as the regulation by law (soft- and hard-law) with the aim of improving public health. Regulation by law is regarded as one of the many intervention tools public health practitioners and decision-makers have at their disposal to improve health and modify determinants of health [1] .
The Five Essential Public Health Law Services (5 EPHLS) is used as a framework for the module. [2] The 5 EPHLS broadly follow steps within the stages (heuristics) model/policy cycle for understanding the policy process [3] , which underlines the overall logic of the GLEPH Master programme. However, the 5 EPHLS are mainly geared towards the area of public health law and governance. Based on the framework, the students will be introduced to a different Essential Public Health Law Service each week by applying and analysing a particular public health problem. From a law and governance perspective, students will discuss (and compare) existing and potential law and governance interventions to address the public health problem at hand.
Course objectives
Expert
- ILO_EXP1 Knows and understands the services under the 5 EPHLS Framework and is able to apply them to various public health law topics.
- ILO_EXP2 Knows and understands the European and national laws and regulations for the monitoring and control of various public health threats.
- ILO_EXP3 Knows about the International Health Regulations (IHR) to coordinate and develop strategic partnerships and resources for health security.
Scientist
- ILO_SCIE1 Uses and understands scientific principles and concepts to inform the policymaking of public health law measures, including health-related, fiscal, administrative, legal, social and political considerations.
- ILO_SCIE1.1 Draw on existing research evidence and expert knowledge or highlight research needs to define the public health problem that should potentially be answered with a public health law and governance intervention.
- ILO_SCIE1.2 Device a proposal for public health law measures, including the selection between various legal and soft-law measures.
- ILO_SCIE1.3 Plan an implementation and enforcement strategy based on relevant evidence, existing legislation, regulations and contextual factors.
Communicator
- ILO_COM1 effectively Communicates evidence and (legal) arguments about existing and planned public health law measures within the context of translating evidence into practice and policy.
- ILO_COM2 Devises and communicates about an advocacy plan for enacting a public health law measure.
Professional
- ILO_PROF1 Integrates prior knowledge and skills (particularly from previous GLEPH modules) in the tasks of this module.
- ILO_PROF2 Is aware of trade-offs in developing and implementing public health law measures such as efficiency and equity, soft law and hard law, and law in books versus law in action.
- ILO_PROF3 Identifies and understands conflict-of-interest situations.